Biratnagar, August 12

An improvised explosive device went off at the office of Biratnagar Metropolitan City today.

A pressure cooker bomb exploded on the first floor of the metropolitan city.

No human casualty, however, was reported in the incident. The explosion damaged windowpanes of the office and the vehicle used by Mayor Bhim Parajuli.

The pressure cooker bomb exploded in the passage connecting the old building with the new one. Mayor Parajuli said the bomb exploded in the passage where chairs and sofas were kept for service seekers.

Mayor Parajuli said that a big bang was heard. “I was working at the office. Some service seekers had come to see me when the bomb exploded. When I looked outside, I saw smoke rising,” Parajuli informed.

Police investigated and reported that a pressure cooker bomb had exploded. Police have arrested eight persons suspecting their involvement in the incident.

District Police Office Morang Chief Superintendent of Police Manoj Kumar KC said eight individuals were held on suspicion of their involvement in the incident.

Netra Bikram Chand-led party’s cadres are among the arrested. KC refused to make their names public saying that they had been held for investigation.

KC said that security was tightened in the area. Police have taken the hard disk of the CCTV camera installed inside the metropolis for investigation.

Service seekers and metropolis employees were terrified after the blast. Immediately after the incident, a sniffer dog was used to aid the investigation.

The blast damaged shelves, sofas and chairs kept in the passage. The blast also damaged window panes of the office and the mayor’s vehicle. Office assistant Shiv Chandra Thakur lost consciousness due to the sound of the blast.

Earlier, Chand-led Maoist party had sent a letter seeking donation to the metropolis. SP KC said that investigation was on to establish people responsible for the explosion.

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